Why did the Council buy a commercial forest?

Stuff reports:

Wellington City councillors splashed out $1 million to buy a forest in Tawa despite council officers objecting to the purchase.

Community environmental volunteer group Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves asked the council to bid for the Forest of Tane to save it from developers.

The forest, which comprises 32 hectares of rural-zoned land on the western hills above Tawa, contains 20 hectares of managed pine forest ready for harvest, with the balance in regenerating native forest.

So most of this forest is just a commercial crop of trees.

Minutes from the public-excluded meeting in February, where councillors voted in favour of the purchase, show council officers recommended they did not submit a tender and instead work with the new owners to negotiate a shared walking and cycling connection.

Sounds sensible.

It is also understood the reason the mature pine trees were not milled by the previous owner was because it would cost more to mill them than the milled logs would be worth.

This loss is believed to be one of the reasons some councillors were opposed to the purchase.

Wow has the current owner done well then. Found some people stupid enough to buy a crop that will cost more to harvest than to sell!